1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of e-commerce and, more particularly, to the automatic conversion of non-negotiable credits earned from a game of chance to negotiable funds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Entities often reward consumers for utilizing their services with entertainment credits. These non-negotiable credits can often be applied towards products and/or services provided by a granting entity or its affiliates. For example, entertainment credits can be redeemed for prizes offered in a winnings storefront of an entertainment site. The entity offering the reward can be a gambling institution and the entertainment credits can be earnings from wagers while playing a game of chance.
Many problems are inherent to the current techniques for the redemption of entity provided credits. One such problem is the restriction on usage to goods and/or services of the entity. That is, a consumer may have no need for the products or services listed by the entity for which the non-negotiable credits can be redeemed. Further, additional restrictions and limitations can be placed upon the non-negotiable credits that lessen the usefulness of non-negotiable credits from the consumer's perspective.
Another problem encountered by consumers when redeeming non-negotiable credits is time. Once a consumer submits a request to redeem their non-negotiable credits, the consumer must wait for the entity to perform one or more actions required to fulfill their request. These steps often require days or weeks to complete. For instance, consumers participating in online entertainment sites often are required to wait a minimum of three days for their entertainment credits to be redeemed. Redemption delay can be particularly aggravating to e-commerce consumers, who by nature of an e-commerce marketplace expect rapid responses and immediate consumer gratification.